Every home seller has some home staging roadblocks to reach their ultimate goal of selling quickly and for the most money. Yet when it’s time to sell, not every seller is prepared.
The number one question all sellers ask me is “What do I need to do to prepare my home so it sells fast?”
I’m currently working with some sellers on this very process. It’s an older house and it needed some updating to bring it up to today’s standards. We walked through the house room by room and I gave them the lowdown of what I would do if it was my house. They had already done some major updates like the kitchen and master bathroom but the upstairs was showing its original condition.
The kids were gone and this couple didn’t even go upstairs anymore. Seems like that’s so typical of empty nesters. Trouble is, the condition of the entire home needs to be addressed. Today’s buyers don’t want to fix your projects even though you might say you don’t know what they would want.
Here’s my biggest tip:
“buyers don’t want it the way it is!”
Melinda Bartling
My advice? Hire a professional that can tell you how to update your home without ripping everything out. Above all else, you should look at the big picture. What are the biggest problems and what are the most cost-effective ways to make some changes? This is where you need to get creative.
What are your real home staging roadblocks?
You don’t have to spend a fortune to address your home staging roadblocks. I help my clients come up with affordable fixes all the time. It’s called preparing your home for the market on a shoestring budget.
For example:
- Can you change a vanity top rather than ripping out the entire vanity?
- Can you add a new vanity top with 2 sinks versus the original 1 sink?
- How about buying some new bathroom mirrors and faucets?
- Do you need to update any flooring…especially in the bathrooms or utility room?
- Adding new register covers or switch plates after painting a room can do wonders
- A few new light fixtures here and there will make a huge difference
- A thorough house cleaning is the icing on the cake for the entire home staging project
None of these things cost a lot of money but don’t do them and it will cost you a lot of your hard-earned equity. Getting your home show-ready so it sells fast and looks better than other homes for sale in your neighborhood is imperative.
Being ready to play
Part of my job, not only as your Realtor but also as your home stager, is to go through every inch of your house and tweak whatever isn’t quite right. I’m like the wedding planner fixing the bride or the celebrity stylist at a Red Carpet event. I prepare your home for the photoshoot and am 2 steps ahead of the photographer. Your first day on the market is the most important. When buyers see your home online, I want them lining up to get in to see it.
You see, there are plenty of buyers out there. Your buyers are probably waiting for a home to come on the market just like yours. They’re ready, willing, and able. You have one chance to make a first impression. You’re being judged – will your house make the best dressed or worst dressed list? It’s up to you to remove those home staging roadblocks. Do you know what to do?
If you know you’ve got some things to do to your house before you come on the market, call or text me at (913) 515-3250, or contact me here and let’s see how I can help you prepare your home on a shoestring budget!
